Grimsby’s MP Melanie Onn has admitted there are men in Westminster who she would ‘keep her distance from’ as the sexual harassment scandal at Parliament escalates.

Miss Onn said some she believed the claims that researchers and staff members working for MPs had been harassed and said a cultural change was needed to address the issue.

And she said although she had not been subject to any inappropriate physical advances, there were MPs she would avoid because of their behaviour and reputations.

She said: “It is behaviour that is conducted by a small number of people in positions of power. Unfortunately it is something that has gone on for quite a long time and seems to be a culture that doesn’t seem to be changing at the pace many of us would like to see.

“It’s not something that’s happening in every single corridor in Westminster but it certainly goes on.”

Asked on the BBC Burnsy show if she had been subject to any sexually inappropriate behaviour, she said: “I have not been touched inappropriately but I’m fairly sure there will be people who have experienced that and I believe that.

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“I think there are definitely people you would keep your distance from. That is a really sad state of affairs. They don’t recognise their behaviour is in any way out of the ordinary. That is something this situation will certainly expose.

“People need to be aware that how they conduct themselves has a big impact on how they are viewed professionally as well as personally."

Miss Onn was speaking as a dossier was leaked to the press with the names of a large number of Tory MPs accused of harassing women in Parliament.

The document was said to have been drawn up by anonymous female and male staff working alongside Conservative MPs.

Prime Minister Theresa May leaving 10 Downing Street for the House of Commons following allegations of sexual harassment at Westminster (Image: Carl Court/Getty Images)

Miss Onn said she believed the problem lay with MPs trying to be “more dominating, more impressive and powerful” when interacting with junior staff and MPs.

She said: “It could be as straight forward as an MP being a group and another MP or member of staff, perhaps not so experienced or long-standing, being put in an uncomfortable position. And how do you challenge that? Maybe laugh things off to be polite and not create a fuss.”

She blamed the culture of parliament for allowing the behaviour to go unchallenged for so many years.

She said: “Being an MP is an unusual role and many eccentric characters in political history have been celebrated for their eccentricity. Some of that engenders a certain sense of power and entitlement. People can find themselves being untouchable via the rest of the real world.

“But that is not the case. There is no one in this place above the law.”

And she said although behaviour had improved, women still needed to be supported and feel as though they would be believed.

She said: “Women are becoming a lot more vocal about what is acceptable and not acceptable behaviour. It is not how it was in the 70s, sitting on bosses knee at a Christmas party, that wouldn’t happen now.

“But there are still areas of concern, there needs to be balance and equality and that is not always a comfortable conversation. But women are finding their voice and if they are speaking up we need to make sure there is support for them.”